Spring
by Cinnamon Poetry
Summary: The decision is easy; it's all the little consequences of deciding you're in love with someone that test how well you can adapt.
1. Chapter 1

**AN**: The plan is to let this build up slowly. Incorporated into that plan are also scenes that aren't solely between Anna and Kristoff, because while I do love this pairing to a frightening degree there is some need for world-building. Don't fret though, we'll get to the good stuff eventually.

* * *

It takes Kristoff about half an hour to start adjusting to a different life.

The winter has ended. Arendelle is safe from both terrified snow queens and villainous princes. The ship that miraculously saved them from having to swim back to land has been moved to the docks and there are people _everywhere_. Overjoyed citizens are trying to get a glimpse of their queen, guards are trying to keep everyone around them from making too much of a fuss and there are children gawking at Olaf who's practically squeeing at the amount of potential hugs.

Kristoff is exhausted, and backs away along with Sven. People are loud and demanding and not really very pleasant when in groups and he's not quite at ease here. He feels a strong urge to find Anna and wait for the whole thing to be over with, before realizing that it's not Anna, it's _princess_ Anna and _queen_ Elsa and suddenly _ice-harvester_ doesn't sound very good in his head.

"Kristoff! Excuse me, pardon me, coming through..."

His stomach does a little flip and he's torn between elation and embarrassment as Anna (_princess_ Anna, get used to it) finds her way through the gathered crowd and runs over to him. For a second he thinks that she's going to run straight into his arms and while it's a pleasant thought he's not entirely sure it's something they should do in front of others. She skids to a stop right in front of him and is basically bouncing on the spot from excitement.

"Wanna come with us?"

"What?"

"Umm, well, I was thinking..." She starts to shuffle her feet, surprisingly hesitant for a girl who's normally quite blunt with what she thinks. "It's kind of the middle of summer again and you've only got your winter-clothes 'cause I crashed your sled and everything in it so you'll need new clothes, and I still need to give you a new sled, and I'd really like you to meet Elsa because she's really nice, she is, she just hasn't spoken to people in a while, and-"

She stops when Kristoff reaches out to touch her shoulder.

"I'll come with you." Of course he will, he'll follow her all the way back to the ice palace without pausing for a second, but that realization is something he's going to need to deal with later. "You don't need to convince me, feistypants."

Her face lights up and he fights the impulse to draw her close and make sure her heart is still beating. They're not up in the mountains anymore, he can't just hug the princess to make sure she isn't cold.

Sven chooses this exact moment to try and get Annas attention by nibbling at her cloak and she turns her attention to the reindeer instead, cooing little words of endearment. Then Elsa is calling her name and she looks up and nods.

"We're gonna go back to the castle now," she assures Sven, "and you're going to get all the carrots you want." She keeps talking as they start to walk, promising comfort that will no doubt turn Kristoff's best friend completely lazy; Kristoff puts his face in his mittens and tries not to grin because he can already hear the _but Anna let me sleep in_ next time he wakes up Sven to go harvesting at the break of dawn.

The people around him are all watching the queen and princess or being distracted by a reindeer suddenly appearing in their midst or trying to get a glimpse of the living snowman and so Kristoff disappears smoothly into the background. He follows everyone through the gates of the castle and can't help but stare a little at the huge structure in front of him, with sweeping courtyard and huge pillars and numerous towers. He's seen it before but it was a background then; he's never given any thought to the rooms and halls inside and there's an unwelcome trickle of fear curling in his stomach at the thought of something so alien.

Up ahead he sees Anna grab her sister's arm and gesture towards the stables; one nod later and the princess is leading Sven away from the procession of people who wish to speak with their queen.

Kristoff sees his chance and follows them.

The stable is much more comfortable; sure, it smells of hay and horses and it isn't really all too clean (though still far more organized than other stables since it's, you know, the_ royal _one), but it's familiar and calming. Kristoff and Anna work together to get Sven into the correct stall and then to explain to him that _we know you won't run off but the servants will panic if we leave the stall-door open_ and then to find appropriate food (because Anna may know the basics in taking care of horses but reindeer are not horses) before everything is finally in place.

Sven is munching happily and Anna and Kristoff finally look at each other; she's taken off her cloak as the temperature starts to slowly shift back to summer-level and he's removed his vest and gloves. Kristoff notes that she's adorable with hay in her hair and then he chokes on air and starts to cough when he has a completely unsanitary thought of other ways that that could happen.

"Are you okay?"

And suddenly she's _right there_, really close to his face and is it normal for people to immediately be worried just because someone coughs? She's biting her lower lip and he would tell her that nothing's wrong except he can't because she's very, very pretty and being unreasonably compassionate and his tongue won't move.

He settles for nodding.

She doesn't look convinced.

"Kristoff, what's wrong?"

"I," he takes a deep breath, "I'm just a bit... overwhelmed, I guess."

No need to specify what it is that's causing that, at least not yet.

"Heh... Yeah, I guess it would be, huh? I mean, not that I don't think you can handle it, it's just that I'm not very good at the whole princess-thing myself and I mean if I of all people can do it..." She trails off, seems to have lost her track.

He's not entirely sure where she was going with this to begin with and doesn't get any time to figure it out either, because in the next second she's wrapped her arms around him and is pressing her head against his chest. Kristoff automatically mimics her, one arm around her waist (so small) and the other round her shoulders.

She's warm. Warm and alive, breathing easily, heart beating like it should. He hesitates a moment before putting his head on top of hers, engulfing her completely.

"Thank you." Her voice is muffled against him.

"For what?"

"For coming back."

"Of course."

"No," she pulls back enough to look up at him, chin resting against him, "it's not _of course_. You didn't have to but you came back anyway, and I'm very happy you did."

She opens her mouth to continue, shuts it, tries again. "And I, um, well... if you want to stay you can, I mean, there's lots of space and I like having you nearby but you don't have to, I mean, I don't want you to feel obligated, oh goodness this isn't coming out right, is it?" Anna hides her face against Kristoff's chest and it takes him a second to process what she's saying.

He would try and stop the smile that's inching its way onto his face but there's no one here to put up a facade for and his heart is about to leap from his chest when he thinks of everything.

He leans his head down as she looks up again, their foreheads touching.

"I'm staying," he assures her, voice low, and he's blushing because this seems a little silly but he can't hold it in, "I'm staying right here."

Her eyes are wide as she takes it in, realizes what it means. Her freckles are being masked by the blush that's creeping into her cheeks and Kristoff thinks _maybe that was overboard_ even if he means it with every fibre of his being.

And then she smiles and laughs before wriggling her arms up from around his chest to around his neck and she doesn't kiss him (though for one heart-stopping millisecond it seems like she's going to), she just puts her forehead against his and giggles. And Kristoff knows that they're being quite sappy but with Anna alive and warm and so close he can't quite bring himself to care.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN**: People have already favorited this thing? That was quick. I'm not sure if we're still in the T-rating. Nothing happens but there are implications, so tell me if you think it needs an update on the rating.

* * *

Cold. The world is cold, she is cold and as far as the eye can see there is nothing but flurries of snow, carried by harsh winter winds to whip at her face. There's a silhouette, she manages to wheeze out a name, but it's not enough, he won't make it, she was wrong. Then there is the slide of sharpened steel and she turns, turns...

Wakes up with a silent cry still in her throat.

Anna sits up straight, runs her hands all over her body, arms, face; needs to make sure that there is still flesh and blood under her skin and not a gnawing chill. She's drenched in sweat, the bed sheets are ruined and there's nothing for it but to get out of bed and walk to the bathroom. Once there she immediately discards her nightdress into the laundry-basket; it's soaked and she needs a hot bath anyway. The bathtub starts to fill and she waits aimlessly, trying to breathe. Out of habit she looks in the mirror and her thoughts grind to a halt.

Anna has posed in front of that mirror in a hundred and one dresses.

She's memorized speeches and practiced expressions.

Yet she's very rarely seen herself completely naked because, well, there were always other things to do than examine what she looks like. There was always chocolate to eat or castle walls to climb or fountains to fall into and who had time to analyze themselves in the mirror unless it was to double-check a complicated hairstyle?

Now however, for some reason, she can't stop looking.

Anna turns a little on the spot, looks at herself from this angle and that angle. Looks at the freckles that cover her face, her shoulders, her arms and back; examines her _very_ slight curves, her fairly small feet. She turns her attention to her face; her unbraided hair frames it quite nicely, contrasts her eyes and _what is she doing?_

Uncontrollable giggling escapes her; she manages to turn the tap off to the bath and get into the hot water, still bursting with laughter. What in the world? Why is she even doing this? What possible reason... Really now, she knows that it's normal to want to be pretty but why start with the whole self-conscious thing? It's not like anyone's going to see her like this so what on earth does she have to worry about?

Whereupon she almost slips and bangs her head on the edge of the tub because she realizes that, yeah, there is a certain someone that might not object to seeing her like that. A certain someone that's sleeping just a few rooms away in a guestroom that she's pretty much forced him to use. He has some silly idea in his head that he doesn't have any place in a castle, which in Anna's mind is preposterous because if she likes him then he has a place here and that's the end of that.

She's not freezing anymore; the warm water is heating her body, and her completely inappropriate thoughts have flung all thoughts of frigidity from her mind. Anna has to take a couple of deep breaths before she can fully process what she was actually thinking of doing. Or maybe it's not so much the act as it is the person she's thinking of doing it with. Despite giving the impression that she's naïve (which she admittedly knows she is in certain areas) Anna _has_ had The Talk. Her mother explained everything to a mortified but simultaneously fascinated princess, imprinting in her mind that _this is sex and this is marriage and you are royal which means that they will coincide_.

She may not be very good at being a princess but she does understand the responsibilities involved. At the end of the day the stability of countries and kingdoms takes precedence, meaning that regardless of her thoughts on the matter Anna knew that she would most likely be married through politics and have to hope for chemistry to be included in that decision. She would be married to some prince and they'd hopefully get along and she'd eventually have children and that would be that.

Then so much had happened. Her parents were taken from her and there was no one to ask for advice because her only sister hid behind a door out of fear. And then the one prince she met, the one person who seemed to love her _and_ want her hand in marriage, an answer on a silver platter…

Anna stops herself from continuing that line of thought. Better to focus on the problems ahead than the problems she's already dealt with. Where was she, before _he_ interrupted her thoughts? Oh right, possible things to do or not to with Kristoff. Right. No problem.

Actually big problem. So she doesn't have to marry Prince Jerk but she probably still has to pick some noble, doesn't she? Anna's not entirely sure of the rules, makes a mental note to ask Elsa if she can marry whoever she wants or if she still needs to look at qualifications. And while she's at it, maybe ask about how far she can go with… no, no, she won't ask that, she's pretty sure that despite them being sisters Elsa doesn't want to know _everything_. In fact, she's pretty sure that as long as no one notices anything then no one will mind. Maybe if she keeps quiet about it she can figure it out on her own without upsetting either Elsa or Kristoff.

Feeling much better, Anna steps out of her bath, letting the water drain as she slowly and methodically dries her hair. Once again she glances at the mirror, blushing now. Why was she really examining how she looks? To make sure? Make sure of what?

She doesn't really know what to think, but she keeps remembering how awfully nice it was to be hugged in the stables earlier today, and how it felt to be caught as she threw herself off a rock face, and the expression on his face when they'd almost been trollfully wedded earlier, and she can't help but think that she definitely wants more of that. She's not sure how much more, she's not exactly about to throw herself into one man's arms directly after the last one turned out to be so rotten, but surely they can experiment a bit? See what it's like? (See what _what's_ like, exactly? _Oh Anna_, she thinks and grins, _and here I thought you were a princess_.)

Now she's all dry and warm and ready to go back to sleep; she finds a spare nightgown and makes it all the way to her bed before realizing that _oh yeah, ruined sheets, not very pleasant, actually very sweaty and disgusting_. For a second Anna thinks about sneaking over to Elsa's room and knocking on the door, asking to use just a teeny, tiny bit of her bed. Then her mind naturally lets the idea evolve into sneaking over to Kristoff's room and doing the same thing and she doesn't know if she should blush or laugh because it could be so embarrassing but it might be worth it just to see his reaction.

Ultimately, no. No, she definitely shouldn't do that because everyone is exhausted and Anna doesn't want to wake anyone in the middle of the night when she's perfectly fine now. She salvages a few pillows, grabs a quilt and creates a makeshift bed on her sofa. She snuggles in and tries not to think about running over and waking up Kristoff, and then tries even harder not to think of what that could possibly lead to.

Not that she'd actually do it, of course not, she would never ever do such a non-princess thing as kissing a person that she hadn't married, who'd ever heard of such a thing? She was the most responsible, proper lady there ever was...

In between planning how to get away with it and convincing herself that it's a bad idea she falls asleep, still weary from a day filled with danger and magic and heartbreak and hope. There's only so much a young princess can live through in a day without a need to recharge; almost dying while falling out of and then into love again has really taken its toll. She dreams again, but this time of warmth, comfort, and playing in the snow, content and safe.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN**: People are following and commenting on this thing and I just can't... You're all so incredibly kind. Thank you. I know it's a terribly slow pace but I just can't make myself write smut right off the bat; apparently I need several chapters of justification and build-up before that particular kind of inspiration kicks in. On the bright side, more frustrated-but-in-the-good-way Kristoff, yay! Also, please tell me what I can improve if you have the time. I know that I can definitely get better so any feedback is appreciated. Even something small like "this paragraph is clunky" or "I didn't understand what you meant here" or something. Don't be afraid to suggest changes. :)

* * *

Kristoff's first day at the castle is a very nervous one. It starts off in an incredibly unpleasant manner since the first person to come into his room is Olaf, and the only way Olaf knows how to wake someone up is to either poke them (his stick-hands are fairly sharp) or hug them, and he's made of _snow_. Not to mention his personal flurry that's the equivalent of a charming winter breeze. With that calmly explained ("_Just, you know… whisper or something next time_.") Kristoff sneaks down to the stables to check on Sven. They've always been together and he'll never forgive himself if his best friend has been lonely with only horses for company at night. His fears are unfounded; Sven is sleeping tightly and doesn't seem the least bit uncomfortable, even rolling over onto his back in his sleep and waving all four legs ridiculously in the air as he does so. In fact, the reindeer looks far more at home here than he ever has in his life.

Muttering about betrayal of the highest order Kristoff stomps back into the castle. He doesn't really have a plan because Anna had said something about showing him around but she didn't specify a time or a place. A passing servant seems to take pity on him and asks if he'd like breakfast; years of habitually lacking large portions of food means he follows with little fuss, eventually finding himself in the kitchens. They're busy and loud and warm, people running this way and that. A middle-aged woman, who introduces herself as Gerda, leads him to a table and tells him that she'll try and find a bit of food; most of the staff ate an hour ago but she knows this place like the back of her hand. She returns with warm bread (baked _today_) and well-kept cheese and milk that's still cold and Kristoff barely manages a thank you before breathing in everything. He realizes that maybe better manners are required, but then again Gerda is also seated at the table, scribbling in a notebook, and she hasn't thrown him out yet. After a period of silence he gathers his courage.

"Do you know where An- Princess Anna is?"

She looks up. The pen stills. Kristoff gets a long moment during which to regret his words and prepare for impending doom.

"Why do you want to know?" Gerda seems genuinely interested in the answer and he reasons that it's probably for the best to be honest.

"I don't know what I'm doing here. She said she'd show me around today but… I don't know where she is and this place- castle, this castle is just so big I don't know where to start looking." It's not the whole truth, but it's the only part of it he's willing to admit to yet. To his relief she seems to accept his shoddy explanation.

"I can go to her and tell her that you're waiting, if you want."

"Really? I mean, you know where she is?"

"I don't _know_," she admits with a smile, "but as it is still early morning I can make an educated guess."

~.~.~.~.~

Kristoff feels like the only thing he's done today is sit down. This time it's the library; Gerda led him here and told him that it might take a while before the princess was in any way presentable, so he might as well make himself comfortable. She gestured around her, asked if he needed anything more and then left.

He doesn't know what to do with himself. Books? Reading? Kristoff _can_ read, it's kind of necessary to keep track of how much he's made every month and what level the prices are at currently and where this and that market was located this year. But reading just for the sake of it? He's never owned a book. There is nothing else to do so he explores; every wall is covered with shelves and every shelf is filled. Around him is history and fiction and geography and etiquette and who knows what else and on a whim he selects a historical something-or-other, not due to any specific interest but because he needs something to do.

He sinks down into a nearby armchair and opens the tome, landing somewhere in the middle. It's not long before he's fascinated; true, whoever wrote it must have thought very highly of themselves to sound so utterly pompous, but it's a historical retelling of the last few hundred years in Arendelle and _a lot_ has happened in that time. There have been wars, peace-times just as troubling as wars, exemplary monarchs and just downright horrible ones, and it's not as bad as he thought it would be to read about it. Downright interesting really, to see the law of cause and effect summed up in ink on paper.

"There you are!"

Kristoff just about jumps out of the armchair. She's probably run all the way here, is breathing deeply and sporting a vivid blush. Maybe it's his imagination but the look Anna gives him seems forebodingly mischievous. He notes other things, like her dress and how it's an exact shade of soft green that makes her hair seem to burn in contrast, or how said hair has been very hastily braided leaving a few strands free here and there.

She skips over to him, her attention on his hands. "Whatcha readin'?" He hastily moves to put it back on the shelf, clears his throat.

"Just some history thing. Needed to pass the time while I waited for you." Anna adopts a mockingly shocked face.

"Well _excuse_ me for not wanting to get up before sunrise. It can't be healthy, honestly."

"Or maybe you're just a tad bit lazy, feistypants." He smirks and crosses his arms, resists the temptation to pull her close and muss her hair. This resistance is severely tested when she chooses to punctuate her answer by narrowing the distance between them, hands on her hips in an exaggerated pose of _how dare you sir_.

"Well maybe _you_ can just…" There's probably a half-hearted retaliation at the end of that sentence but then she glances at a clock on the wall and her expression shifts to light panic. "Ooooooh, no."

"What is it?"

"Uh, well, I might have to be somewhere since ten minutes ago but that means leaving you alone and I can't do that! Not when I promised to keep you company and besides I don't want to so I can't just- hey wait a minute." Her entire posture goes from worried-oh-so-worried to I Have A Brilliant Plan within the space of a millisecond and Kristoff isn't entirely sure it's a good thing. She looks up at him and smiles.

"I've got an idea."

~.~.~.~.~

Anna introduces Kristoff to her big sister in the same enthusiastic and impulsive way she does everything. They're in the queen's study now; Elsa had previously been starting to catch up on paperwork when Anna barges in, Kristoff in tow, explaining that any second now she's going to be kidnapped to try on a dress and she doesn't want Kristoff to be alone on his first morning at the castle and while Kristoff tries to protest (she didn't inform him about this plan _in any way_) there's a knock on the door and a messenger says that Princess Anna is needed by the tailor and she runs off, leaving Elsa and Kristoff alone.

Silence engulfs them. Elsa regards him and appears to be at a loss for words; it dawns on him that she might not know how to just_ talk_ to people. He's not as intimidated by her as he expected himself to be, but he's seen her break down and cry when her little sister froze so he knows she has a heart underneath all her self-imposed distancing. She seemingly out of habit wraps her arms around herself and sympathy causes him to speak up.

"Are you alright?"

Elsa looks up, her lips forming a nervous little smile.

"Yes… yes I am fine, I just…" She breathes, collects herself, "I have a lot of readjusting to do. That is all." Her posture becomes more relaxed and her expression genuine.

"Anna and I talked last night," she begins, and he thinks _oh boy here it comes_, "and though we spoke of many things I think she made it a point of mentioning you whenever she could."

Kristoff sits down and hides his face in his hands. "What did she say?" Oh god she's going to have exaggerated everything _and now Elsa's going to expect him to be far better than he actually is and she'll never approve of- wait, what?_ He hears giggling and moves his fingers just enough to be able to stare incredulously at Arendelle's queen, actually laughing behind one hand.

"Nothing too outlandish, I assure you. I may not have spoken much with my sister before now but I know she is eager and excitable, and I judge her stories thusly." She folds her hands in front of her, picture-perfect regal, "Regardless of the details, I know that it is because of you my sister lives, and for that I don't believe I can ever repay you." Her gaze is steady. It strikes Kristoff how very similar they are; there are even faint freckles across Elsa's face. It's a little easier to speak.

"I wouldn't say it was that straight-forward. She did everything more or less herself, I just… travelled with her."

"You took her to the only people who knew how to save her, then brought her here in record time, and after that returned to see to her safety despite the fact that for all you knew she was completely fine. Regardless of your personal opinion on the matter I believe that what you have done is something I can never fully return." Arendelle's ruler is completely serious, regarding him with practiced posture from behind her desk, and Kristoff is sure his face is about to set on fire from not only the praise but the implications of what she's saying. Elsa takes a deep breath before continuing, "Anna told me much but as I said, I realize that there are things she may have forgotten or glossed over. I would… appreciate if you could give me a retelling."

Kristoff keeps staring. His mouth is dry. "Why?" She tilts her head; he feels like he's being scrutinized and he knows that what he is isn't impressive.

"Because I am curious to know who you are. Whether I like it or not Anna seems to be attached to you and she's done a fine job of peaking my interest. If you wouldn't mind telling me what happened I would be… grateful."

They gaze at each other for a long moment. Kristoff sighs. He allows himself a moment to think and then begins, starting with that awful trading post where a delusional princess convinced him to venture into the night.

~.~.~.~.~

Despite Anna's reassuring claims that _it's easy to find your way around after a while, I promise_, the castle is absolutely huge. Many corridors look the same and there are no indications of what a room is for on the outside. Kristoff is being dragged through the corridors by an overexcited princess, who finally has someone new to show what has previously been her entire world. He finds himself memorizing the layout rather than what specific areas are for; it's easier to keep track of where things are in relation to each other than that his room is on the second floor or that the library is in the west wing. Anna shows him the ballroom, spinning around and taking a few half-steps of some formal dance. Then there's the painting gallery, where she gleefully bounces several meters into the air from the couches and he instinctively runs forward to catch her but she lands surprisingly gracefully, continuing like it was normal; his heart is still in his throat as she describes and explains every single painting to him. This one's a knight on a valiant steed. This one is a birthday celebration. This one's a princess locked away from everyone around her.

Anna babbles on and he doesn't understand half of it but tries to listen all the same, fighting the impulse to hug her whenever she turns back and smiles. He's had to do so quite a lot for the past few hours; between a lunch where she kept licking her lips in an entirely too enticing way and all the movement she's doing which means he can see her body from every angle it's difficult to keep his hands to himself. In Kristoff's world touch is a normal thing; he'll always put a hand on Sven to make sure that his friend is okay, just as Sven will press his muzzle to Kristoff's side in comfort. The trolls have no concept of personal space, hugging and shoving and pushing and just all around being free to touch in a way that's very easy to pick up after a while. It's unnatural not to have contact with those you care about and so his natural reaction towards Anna is to touch her as much as he can. Or it would be, if it weren't for her damn title and his damn lack of one.

She shows him every wing, every parlor, every area she can, the only exceptions being her and Elsa's rooms ("Elsa likes her privacy so I think it's best if we don't, I mean, I'm sure I could if I had to, but it's different with you, I mean, not that you're bad, you're terrific- wait what?"). During all this time he makes sure to take it in but cannot stop thinking of her, of how comfortable it was to have her close yesterday, of her face when she knew he'd be here for at least a little while, of how utterly tempting and forbidden she was when she laughed in delight, just a breath away. Kristoff doesn't know much concerning royal etiquette but he's pretty sure a stolen kiss is out of the question and it's so incredibly frustrating.

"Aaaaaaand here's the library! I mean you've already been here, I know, but I don't know if Gerda pointed out everything, there are some fantastic spots where no one can see you read and you wouldn't _believe_ how useful it's been to be able to hide there so I could bring snacks with me. Everyone seems to think I'll smear chocolate over every page if I bring some in here, but honestly, it's always more enjoyable to read when there's something good to eat and I always thought- what's the matter?"

"Huh?"

"You're staring. Have I still got food on my face? I thought I got everything."

"No no, it's fine, you're fine. It's just, well, uh…" he begins, grapples for words, find none. He sees a hint of hurt in her eyes (_she's thinking he doesn't want to be here_) and he forces himself to press on, "I'm listening. It's just… It's a little difficult to follow you sometimes." She tilts her head, confused.

"Really? Am I talking too fast or something?"

"No, well I mean you do talk fast but it's good, you're good at it. It's just… I'm just getting very… distracted."

"Distracted." She seems to weigh the word. "I don't understand."

Kristoff puts his hand over his face.

"You. You're distracting." He peeks out from behind his fingers. _Please realize_.

"Me? Distra- you mean," Anna licks her lips and the effect it has on him just isn't fair, "In a good way?" There's a breathlessness in her voice.

He nods. He doesn't understand her reaction; he'd expected either happiness or irritation, but she seems outright bewildered, if at least positively so.

"What?"

"Oh, well, it's just," she tucks her hair behind her ear, "that's very strange."

Short silence.

"Strange?"

"Well, I mean I'm just… me. And I don't know, I just didn't think that I was… Oh I don't know."

He can't help it. Kristoff reaches out and draws her in, enfolds her completely. To his relief she responds, hugs his waist and sighs. His face is buried in her hair and she smells like some flower that he can't identify and has probably never heard of. He draws back just enough to see her face.

"What do you mean, 'just you'?" He smirks, musses her hair and just barely stops himself from laughing when she half-heartedly protests and pats it back into place. "That's very silly of you, you know."

"Not really," she responds, "it _is_ kind of my role you know. Being back-up."

"Back-up? Nothing else?"

"Well… no. I mean, I guess I'm _supposed_ to be a princess, which is _something,_ but I'm not very good at it. I'm just… just me, really."

She sounds like she's apologizing for it, for existing. Kristoff can think of nothing more wrong but he doesn't know how to say that, so he compromises by hugging her tight. He's about to open his mouth, suggest that maybe they should go see the rest of this gigantic building but then she snuggles into his chest and relaxes with a sigh and he doesn't know if he wants to tighten his hold or loosen it enough to kiss her, cover her face and neck and shoulders with kisses until she's breathless and desirous and _whoa, easy there_.

With one shaky hand he strokes her hair.

He needs to tell her soon. He's not sure of exactly what to say, doesn't dare think of it in specific terms, but it's going to come out one of these days and he won't be able to stop it.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN**: So this chapter would have been up earlier, but I suddenly got an urge in the middle of the night to write something different. The good news is that sex-scenes have been written. The bad news is that it'll be awhile before they show up. At least this is the last chapter before the movie's epilogue.

* * *

The week leading up to Elsa's delayed coronation celebration (also the Sorry I Froze Everything Party) is eventful to the point that Anna has difficulty taking it all in. There are so many new people to talk to, so much time she has to make up for. She stays up late one night with Elsa, holding an impromptu sleepover that goes a long way towards mending their bond. They speak of inconsequential things; the problems of wearing heels, and the pros and cons of dresses, and _how can you stand white chocolate it just tastes like sugar_ and _that's why it's so good, duh_. There's also more important matters, like explanations of what Elsa did to become so afraid of herself and what Anna felt like when she stood alone between their parents gravestones, knowing that even if she were to dig through the earth there was nothing to find because you can't bury something that's at the bottom of the sea. They speak of desperation and cry over missed time, and resolve not to let it happen again (_we'll always be together, you and me_). When they finally fall asleep both women breathe easier, soothed and calmed by the others presence.

She speaks to Olaf every day; he doesn't stay in the castle, instead roams the city, plays with children and asks adults how things work, always comes back for dinner, giving long, detailed descriptions of his latest discoveries. He spends more time with Elsa than with Anna, and she doesn't begrudge either of them for it. Elsa needs someone to talk to that doesn't know her as a queen and Olaf feels drawn to her on the account of her _creating him_, so Anna isn't bothered. There are many new men and women to get to know so it's not like her options are limited.

There are unknown faces in the castle now, because with the reasoning for reduced staff having flown out the window they can definitely use a bit of help in some areas. Anna learns everyone's names, reaches out to them and makes sure that everyone feels welcome because how could she not? She'd learn the name of everyone in the capital city if she could, spend her days with her people and never go back home (well, maybe not never, but oh, wouldn't it be amazing to sleep somewhere else and wake up and know that she's leaving for a new place, somewhere she's never been…). There are actual real live people in her home, and she gets to know every single person within a day. One of them teaches her how to bake soufflés; another gets lost and needs her to show them around, blushing in embarrassment over disturbing the princess like this and she has to calm the poor girl down, tell her that she's adorable and it's okay to make mistakes and she really likes her so please don't cry. Every new person becomes her friend, just like the original staff have been her friends, and Anna's loneliness drifts even farther from her mind.

Between all these decisions and happenings she also has to make room in her schedule for going down to the stables, because she realizes that it must be very boring for Sven to be stuck there all the time and she wants to keep all her friends company. She feeds him carrots whenever she can despite Kristoff insisting that the reindeer won't be able to work if he can no longer fit in his harness. Anna points out that he can always take Sven out for the day and then come back for dinner; the suggestion is received with far more enthusiasm than she expected. Though she realizes that it must be boring being practically cooped up in the castle all day (oh boy does she realize) it still stings that Kristoff wants to be somewhere that she isn't. A plan begins to form of maybe visiting the shops outside the castle for the day and perhaps persuading Elsa to join her when Kristoff points out that they'll gladly take her with them. As long as she doesn't set anything on fire she's allowed to come.

(They spend a whole day up in the mountains, close enough to get home before dark but far away to the point that the odds of encountering people is small. Anna runs this way and that, Sven follows her every move and Kristoff snickers at them both as the princess and the reindeer prance around like love-struck yearlings. She climbs into trees and it's only a matter of time before she's stuck, the only solution seemingly to jump down and let Kristoff catch her. She feels a little guilty but he assures her that it's fine, really, she's practically weightless; he holds on a little too long, a moment too much and she thinks that maybe, just maybe he's going to lean forward, but he suddenly places her back on the ground and she tries not to let the disappointment show.)

Every day is filled with fun activities and socializing, and it improves Anna's already buoyant mood immensely. She needs every drop of that light feeling when for some stupid reason Kristoff doesn't want to let her replace everything in his sled, which included a lute, wheels which could be attached instead of the runners, supplies such as pickaxes and ropes, and clothes meant for other seasons than winter, plus more things that he refuses to tell her of. He insists that it's fine and she lets some of it drop, secretly conspiring with Elsa and ordering both a new sleigh and a new lute that should both be done by the end of the week. She does however insist on getting him new clothes immediately because, as she explains to Kristoff, the castle's tailor (a woman named Tuva) has been bored out of her mind for years now, only making clothes for the same people and for the last couple of years hardly any new or fancy ones at that. Kristoff grumpily agrees and seems to, if not enjoy it, then at least not despise the occurrence. It helps that Anna's already talked to Tuva and stressed that under no circumstances will they ever get Kristoff to don formal wear so don't even try. The woman instead takes his measurements, asks if he prefers certain colors and then praises him for standing still (something she claims, with a pointed look at Anna, that no one but him and Queen Elsa seem capable of doing). She even nods understandingly when he asks her to at least make sure that the clothes don't sit in that uncomfortable way that noblemen's clothing seems to do; Tuva laughs and assures Kristoff that she realizes she's making clothes that are to be worked in, so the young sir doesn't have to worry, she'll have things done in a couple of days.

In fact there are a lot of things that she discusses with Kristoff that week, mostly due to them having completely different upbringings and habits. Anna finds herself needing to point out that he_ is_ allowed to use the bathing facilities connected to his room, that's what they're for, because the only times Kristoff has ever had the opportunity to take a bath is when visiting the trolls or pitching camp by a lake in the summer so he never even thought to actually use the bathtub at his disposal. He does cave eventually, but points out that it's only because it's warm outside right now and if it were winter this would be downright dangerous.

She also makes the discovery that only people who can easily afford sleeping clothes use them, when she bursts into Kristoff's room in the morning (waking up early for once). Thankfully his covers are at least positioned up to his stomach, but he sits up reflexively when her slamming of the door wakes him, and Anna is given the tempting view of that cover slipping down to his hips, making her very aware that _there is nothing underneath and she really needs to stop looking now_. Kristoff realizes what's happening within the space of a second and yanks the fabric back up, but she's already covering her eyes and apologizing, backing out of the room and fumblingly managing to close the door behind her. (When they see each other over breakfast she's over the shock, even wondering if it might be possible to be allowed to see more later.)

While helping Elsa with her paperwork she keeps getting sidetracked; she thinks of Kristoff's hair, how it shifts when he moves his head and how soft it seems, how her fingers itch to run through it every time he's nearby. Her sister draws her attention back to the present and she desperately tries to value the proposition in front of her, tries to erase all thoughts of any hugs from her mind, because she wants to _help_, she wants to actually be useful. A few minutes later she's giving Elsa a detailed description of how it feels to have butterflies in her stomach and how her skin feels like it's burning after she's touched Kristoff's arm to point something out. The queen is kind and doesn't laugh at her, listening with an amused expression that Anna pointedly ignores; it's only when she moves on to complaining about how just _one_ kiss would be nice (_it doesn't even have to be a real one, like, on the lips, just __**something**_) that Elsa stops her.

"Anna, have you thought this through?"

"Of course I have! Why wouldn't I… Oh. Oh Elsa, it's not like that…"

"Are you sure? I'm not saying I don't trust your judgment-"

"Yes you are."

"Maybe a little." Elsa smiles and leans closer. "I just want you to be cautious. Please don't do something or… encourage acts that you'll end up regretting. Please. We have enough to handle without you going through heartbreak all over again."

They discuss it for a while, and Anna does understand what Elsa is saying because now and then something happens and she'll hear a mocking echo in her head, a door closing and _oh Anna if only_, and she realizes that yes this feels different but she can't _know_. Then again it didn't feel like this last time; she was in desperate need of affection and wanted company, any company, anything to fill the space left by a missing sister and drowned parents, and she cries in her sisters arms as she mourns the fact that not only was he her first love, he was her first close _friend_, someone her own age that fit together with her like a puzzle, and he _**betrayed**_ her. Elsa strokes her hair and hugs her tight, waits until the sobs have subsided and her little sister can listen again.

"Do you know what I think?" The princess shakes her head. "I think that it _is _different this time. I've spoken to both of you. Not concerning this subject, true, but I have a faint grasp on how you both function and in my opinion this is a far better idea."

Anna sniffs and looks up, eyes wide and red-tinged. "You really think so?"

"Yes I do. I won't stop you doing what you want, but I will point out the consequences. Does that seem fair?"

"Mhm. Just don't freak out if I come and ask you things."

"As long as those questions are something other than if you can get married it'll be fine."

"Elsa!"

The queen laughs, actually _laughs_, and Anna absorbs the sound into her soul and is a little more at peace. They sort through the rest of the documents and Elsa shoos her out of the study. Anna runs down to the stables, down to the last stall, where Sven is standing and snorts a greeting. She leans over the stall door to see Kristoff propped up against the wall, engrossed in a book and completely unaware of her presence. He's wearing his new shirt and vest that Tuva made, but either the trousers aren't done yet or he's just refusing to wear them because everything below the waist remains unchanged.

"Having fun?" She stops herself from giggling when he jumps, looks up at her almost guiltily before realizing that it's just her (she has the hasty image of a similar scenario, of a silly little lullaby and then _oh it's just you_). He starts to put the book away and she quickly opens the door, closes it behind her and sinks down beside him. "Don't stop just 'cause I'm here. What's it about?"

He hesitates a second, seems to gauge her sincerity. "History." She peeks at the cover.

"Isn't that the same one as before?"

"…yes?"

"Oh, well, I just thought that you might wanna read something else, I don't know…"

"You do realize there are people who finish books before they move on to the next one?"

"_Kristoff_."

She laughs and manages to weasel her way under his arm, looks up at him to find him giving her the strangest look. "Go on; I won't make a sound, I promise."

It takes Kristoff a good long while, during which Anna feels him gulp several times and force his lungs to keep working. Eventually he settles again, opening the book where he left off while she leans against his chest, closing her eyes. She breathes him in, a mix of the stables and Sven and the soap she pointed out was okay to use because it _was_ in _his_ bathroom. Her arm sneaks around him and while he does breathe in sharply he doesn't protest, so it's probably okay. Her thoughts wander, touching on tomorrow and everything that's going to happen. She knows that Elsa is nervous; she isn't accustomed to using her powers so openly and is still struggling with how to talk to people, and a celebration where she is at the center is no more welcome now than it was a week ago. Granted, this time there's nothing to hide, but Anna understands her sister and how isolation has shaped her thoughts, and vows to do her utmost to make sure that Elsa is comfortable. It's the least she can do, especially considering her sister's help in securing a sled and who knows how much else. The sled and everything in it is done and Anna's brilliant plan is to present it to Kristoff tomorrow, together with her sister's surprise that he now actually holds a _title_. She realizes that it's mostly based in logistics and practicality, but she also has a sneaking suspicion that it means he'll need to visit the castle fairly often. With a small shock she understands that this is Elsa's way of showing her approval; not only can Kristoff continue to do what he wants, he can do so in a way that makes it incredibly easy to visit Anna. Her heart leaps when the implications truly hit her.

She sighs happily, almost hums. Tomorrow is going to be amazing, she knows it. Now if he'd just take the hint and kiss her everything would be perfect…


	5. Chapter 5

**AN**: Schoolwork is doing a very good job of making me far too tired to actually write. Fortunately one of my favorite Kristanna-writers came back from a hiatus so I managed to scrounge up some effort from... somewhere. Enjoy! And don't be afraid to critique!

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Seasoned ice-harvesters do not giggle. Grown men do not blush and smile in the goofiest manner possible. Arendelle's Ice Master and Deliverer does not lose his head over a girl, even if that girl is a princess, fearless and bright.

Kristoff keeps the mantra going in his head, repeats it until he's sick of it. Anything to keep himself calm, anything to stay levelheaded and not freak out among people. When no one is watching he maneuvers across the courtyard with Sven, to the relative safety of the stables. At least there the ground isn't covered with ice.

People are shouting and celebrating; he can hear children yelling in delight (_do the magic, do the magic!_). The area is a cacophony of sound, and while it is a happy collection of voices, they are people all the same, and people are tiresome. Not bad, just a bit too much. Some of them are tolerable though. A few are even downright pleasant to be around. One of them is lovely and sweet and all-around too enjoyable as company for her own good.

He sighs, leans back against the wall as Sven enters his designated stall completely on his own, eager to get back to the comfort and food that he's quickly gotten used to. Preferably Kristoff would be back up in the mountains instead of being stuck in the castle, and – now that Elsa and Anna have straight-up _given_ him a way to do just that – the option is looking incredibly tempting. The difference now is that he really wouldn't mind hurrying back to civilization, strange as that seems to a man with no friends beyond a reindeer and moving rocks. The idea of having something (_someone_) to come home to is a concept far beyond him at the moment.

No matter what he starts thinking about, Anna becomes included in the thought process. The memory is burned into his skin, of _we may_ and small hands and a soft face. God, it felt good. _God_, he wants her back with him, out of sight of anyone else.

"You okay?"

He doesn't understand how someone that is so prone to noise can sneak up on people like this, but nonetheless he opens his eyes to see Anna just a few paces away. His eyes dart to the entrance of the stables and she laughs openly.

"Don't worry, no one's noticed I'm gone. They're watching Elsa." She wanders closer. His hands itch to grab her and hold her tight.

The difference between them is that Anna doesn't let doubt stop her; she throws herself against him and tilts her head up, chin resting on his chest as she grins, eyes shining with anticipation. She looks so hopeful he can't help but give an amused snort. "What are you doing?"

"I'm _trying_ to send signals."

"Oh really?"

"_Kristoff_." She sighs but continues smiling. Part of him wants to continue teasing her, but the rest of him wants something else and she's too inviting to resist. He cautiously cradles her face with both hands and closes in, and she hums as she did before, eyes closed and mind drifting. One hand slips into her hair, somewhat dislodging a braid.

Anna moves her lips against him and he can't help the quiet groan that slips out, one arm moving down her back to settle at her waist. He's lightheaded, wants her close, will do anything she wants. Neither of them know how the process is _supposed_ to work but he's picked up on a couple of things from his visits to taverns and the overheard conversations there; enough to dare a soft bite to her lower lip, earning him a small moan that probably shouldn't sound so attractive but still sends him reeling. Her every movement and sound resonates in him, creating a cascade of excitement that builds in his chest, makes him feel like he could explode…

"Hey Anna, Kristoff! Where'd you guys go, there's some really awesome… What-"

They immediately move apart, stumbling together as Olaf simply stares, his mouth open in shock. Then he starts giggling, and making some vague gestures towards them of _oh you_ he turns on his heel and leaves the way he came. They try to catch their breath, faces burning. Kristoff doesn't know what to do, how to salvage the situation. Both of them breathe deeply, try to calm their racing hearts and flying thoughts.

"I'm _so_ sorry." Anna mumbles from behind her hands.

"No, don't, I mean," He hesitates, isn't sure how much he can say. "You didn't do anything wrong. I shouldn't have, uh…"

"Yes, you should," She's still blushing to the roots of her hair, but now she's also smiling. "_I_ shouldn't have just, uh, well… jumped you, I guess, I mean, not that I don't want to, just that maybe next time I can pick a better spot or-" Kristoff raises both hands in a placating gesture of _stop, stop, I get it_.

He reaches out, slowly, carefully, forms his hands around her head and waist, pulls her close. Anna places her head against him once more, relaxes with a sigh. There are people not so far away that are talking and laughing and completely unaware of the two of them, and Kristoff hugs her tight. _Next time_.

~.~.~.~.~

Someone's at his door. They haven't knocked, but there's a slight sound as it opens and Kristoff sleeps light, needs to in case someone approaches camp with bad intentions. While he's still waking he reaches for an ice axe; just a precaution.

Then he wakes up for real, remembers where he is and stares at the entrance of the room. A small figure shuffles inside, wrapped in blankets.

"Anna?"

She jumps, wide eyes filled with guilt.

"Sorry! I'm sorry, I… I didn't think I'd wake you. I'll, uh, I'm gonna go…"

"No no, Anna," He fumbles with his covers, trying to hide as much of himself as possible as he sits up, feet touching the cool floor. "Come here. What is it?"

She draws hesitantly closer, adorable and looking even smaller than usual when she's wrapped herself up like this. When she stops right in front of him he notices that she's shaking ever so slightly. Her hair looks damp.

"I'm so, so sorry, I just couldn't sleep and I tried to take a bath to make the feeling go away but it didn't and I just don't have anyone to talk to, or at least I didn't. I just," Anna breathes, deeply, steadying herself. "I didn't mean to wake you I just wanted to make sure you were there. Kind of."

Kristoff doesn't have an answer. What would he say anyway? _I know what it's like to feel like you're freezing to death so I know why you can't sleep?_ She shivers noticeably and he touches her arm, just a brushing of fingers, and before he knows it he has a princess in his lap, blankets and all, nestling into his chest. She's making it a habit to stay there and he's not about to protest, even if he's acutely aware that _he doesn't have any clothes_ and _she's in_ _her nightgown_ and it goes down to her knees but _still_.

Her shivering doesn't stop. Kristoff hasn't got a clue of what he should do, hasn't ever helped anyone like this, so the only thing he can think to do is embrace her, tuck her against him. Anna buries her face in the juncture between his shoulder and neck, her hands between their chests, and he tightens his grip. It's almost bothering, the speed at which she's managed to change his reactions and make him _care_. That just hasn't happened before; humans are unreliable, cowardly, greedy, and generally bad company. They don't trust him after less than a conversation, they don't lay their lives in his hands after only a few days, and no one has ever given the slightest hint that they'd be interested in knowing him. It's just how the world works. Apparently Anna didn't get a copy of the rulebook because she's breaking every principle that holds his world together, and even more frightening, he _wants_ her to.

The thought makes him jump, not enough to disturb the princess but enough to make him realize that a border of some sort has been crossed. It takes him a moment but a gentle understanding settles; yes, he wants this to happen. No, he doesn't need to live in isolation from human relationships. Yes, he genuinely can see himself making room in his life for a few more activities, among them spending time with the young woman who's currently using him as a pillow.

Eventually Anna stirs; she's half asleep now and so attractive that it's unfair.

"Sorry 'bout that. I won't make a habit of it, promise."

"No, it's fine. It's fine, you don't have to apologize. I mean, if you need to talk then you should talk. I think. Even if you have to wake me up to do it." Kristoff cups her face but doesn't draw her closer; he'd like to, but she's just had a scare that made her come to his room in desperation for human contact, and using _that_ as an opportunity to kiss her feels somehow wrong. There's also the matter of her being in his room at night with only a nightgown and a blanket between them and how entirely inappropriate this is even without riskier ideas.

Anna leaves, mumbling something about seeing him tomorrow (which he doubts, since he'll be long gone by the time she usually wakes), leaving Kristoff to try and fall back asleep, the imprint of her still fresh in his memory. It's a fearsome thing, this effect she has on him. It's not enough to make him want to stay, not just yet; it_ is_ enough to make him want to come back, which is more than anything has managed before.

His last coherent thought before succumbing to sleep once more is how this whole situation with Anna and _kissing_ and boundaries is probably going to be incredibly troublesome; but then again, how much trouble can one endearing princess really get up to when there isn't magic involved?


	6. Chapter 6

The weeks pass in a blur of summer heat and boring paperwork and hesitant (and ultimately not-so-hesitant) touches. Kristoff spends days on end away from the city, only coming home once every block of ice is either sold on the market or stored in the castle's kitchens. Anna helps Elsa but stares out the window with longing (_maybe today he'll return_). He eventually does, of course, and she rushes down to the stables every time, throwing herself against Kristoff and then lavishing praise and attention on Sven and then turning back to Kristoff for a hug. It starts with an embrace and normally ends with her lifted off her feet, blushing and smiling and tugging at the collar of his shirt.

It takes Kristoff a good long while to not be embarrassed, to not have his face light on fire every time she smiles at him when someone else is there, to not hesitate when she steadies herself with a hand on his arm. He enjoys it, of course, but it takes time before he realizes that there isn't any need for a façade of manliness around Anna; she won't think less of him because he shows that he cares, would probably think less of him if he stopped now that he thinks about it. Still, he is acutely aware that he is only allowed to keep seeing her if their interactions remain decent, at least to the public eye.

The problem with Arendelle's princess is that she doesn't really care about such trivial rules.

Everything they do together will start out innocent enough, and then slowly morph into giggling and kissing and holding in a way that should remain private, unseen. Anna attempts to teach Kristoff chess; she herself hasn't ever had any enthusiastic love for the game, but she knows that Kristoff enjoys logic and planning so maybe it'll be right up his street. As it turns out it most definitely _is_ up his street; it takes him a while to differentiate between the many pieces, but after two games he's already winning. In the end it's not so much a matter of intelligence as it is thought-patterns. Anna takes every piece she can as soon as she can while Kristoff takes his time, gives up this pawn to take that tower and knight in three moves, always planning ahead. To counteract this Anna resorts to outright sabotage, seating herself in his lap and running her hands up his arms while giving him what is probably meant to be a seductive face but instead ends up being just adorable. Regardless, he falls for it, his senses overloading from feeling her skin and warmth and weight all at once. They try to play chess a few more times but spend more of these occasions trying to side-track one another than actually playing so there's no real point to it in the end.

Then there are what could be called reading sessions, except they last very short amounts of time and eventually devolve into completely different activities than the name implies. Anna loves reading, but she argues with the books, muttering and scoffing, and Kristoff isn't used to the activity or used to _her_ to the point where he can simply block out the noise. When there are other people nearby he'll simply touch her shoulder to remind her, but if they're alone it tends to be more than a touch, it becomes a stroke of her arm or a hand at her waist or a shy kiss to her temple. He'll be moderately content to leave things there and she most decidedly won't be, quickly moving closer and covering whatever skin she can find in kisses, hands tugging at his hair.

They make good use of Anna's hiding places in the library; not only are they brilliant for getting some reading done in peace and quiet, they're also hidden away to the point that anyone approaching them is noticed well in advance. The only downside is that the entire area is unnaturally silent, causing both of them to bite their lips in order to keep quiet and avoid detection on more than one occasion. This naturally turns into a playful competition, one where the first person to make a sound loses and they're both all too happy to oblige. This is how they figure out that teasing can be a positive thing, the good-natured taunt of _I know you want to but you can't_; he strokes her back along the spine and she presses her lips to his throat, he kisses along her neckline and she pulls his hair, leaving them a gasping, desperate mess.

They always stop before it goes further. Kissing and hair-pulling can be disguised within seconds; anything more than that, not so much. The princess may not care but Kristoff does, and he is often the first to stop and distance himself for a second. He reminds Anna that not only does she have a reputation to keep amongst commoners and nobles alike, but he also doesn't want to openly overstep his graciously determined boundaries. The queen may like him but she does need to look after her only heir, and if they are found doing anything more than holding hands he'll probably need to flee civilization.

Anna grumbles a bit, knows that he's right but not liking it any more than he does.

During his first trip from the castle Kristoff visits the trolls and recites everything that's happened and, as he informs a grateful Anna later, tells his family that _yes_ they are kind of together but _no_ they are not marrying. Not happening. Don't even mention it or he won't bring Anna to see them again. Ever.

Anna _does_ want to meet the trolls again, but it takes weeks before she has space in her schedule to do so. She would complain about suddenly lacking free time in the abundance she's used to, but such is the price of being useful. At the end of the day she _wants_ to be useful, so she shuts her mouth and tries to get all her work done in as little time as possible. Eventually, finally, she manages to leave a couple of days open at the same time as Kristoff comes home from work, all his ice found and cut and transported and finally sold at the morning market. Anna isn't a huge fan of subtlety and so gets straight to the point: can Kristoff please take her to see the trolls? Because she really liked them and she wants to meet them under circumstances that don't include her dying.

Kristoff makes sure that the plan is a little more fireproof than that before he agrees to it. He checks small details, like if it's okay with Elsa that Anna is going to be gone, and if she has clothes that can stand being travelled in. It takes a bit of persuading (involving kisses to the back of the neck and hands roaming over his shirt) before he relents. Even then he insists on measuring out the exact amount of extra food they'll need and if her clothes will be suitable for moving above the tree line; Anna moves through several coats and cloaks before he's satisfied with the thickness of the fabric. The sled (technically a wagon while the wheels are attached) is packed and they finally take off, Sven moving eagerly and Anna bouncing on the spot, mouth going a million miles an hour as Kristoff simply listens (he does filter out a small amount; it's impossible to completely follow her train of thought and some headaches are best left avoided).

It takes about a day to reach their destination; they stop twice, first to exchange the wheels for runners and then to have a dinner of sorts, and Kristoff will never admit how happy he is to finally be able to eat somewhere where everyone around him isn't an expert in table manners. Anna is too busy stuffing her mouth to remember anything resembling proper behavior and Sven is a _reindeer_, and so this little mealtime, simple as it may be, turns out to be one of the most pleasant experiences they've shared so far.

They have an entire day to spend in each other's company; to their shared surprise this _doesn't _mean that they spend the whole trip making out (though that of course happens as well; at one point Anna even climbs into Kristoff's lap while they're moving and he is insanely grateful that his friend knows the way because driving suddenly doesn't seem as important as Anna's blushing cheeks and exploring hands and her skirt draping itself across his legs). They converse and discuss and for once talk an equal amount, because Kristoff _can_ hold a conversation, he just prefers to do so when there aren't nosy servants in the same room.

He makes the discovery that Anna is a very good listener. She focuses only on him while he speaks, and while a little unnerving at first, he does appreciate the fact that she doesn't immediately dismiss his ideas, something he is all too used to. It dawns on him that she may have a good theoretical grasp on her country but her practical knowledge is virtually nonexistent. He wouldn't have imagined that she could find anything fascinating about an explanation of how to single out the best potential buyers at a market, or how minute differences in posture can make all the difference when avoiding fights on the street at night, or how to find the best spot to make camp when the wind is howling and snow slices at your face, but apparently these things go on the list of Things Anna Wants To Know.

They travel higher and higher, closer and closer to the sky. The valley where the trolls actually live is heated by some combination of the earth and magic, but the trek there is not, and Anna draws on her cape and switches to winter boots without needing any reminders. As they draw closer to their goal she starts to fidget.

"You okay?" he asks.

"Yeah! Of course, why wouldn't I be? I'm way okay, totally-"

"Anna."

"Fine, I'm nervous. I'm nervous because I feel very silly and my hair is messy." She attempts to smooth her hair into some semblance of the neat braids they were this morning and Kristoff grins openly.

"_Silly_? You know, they're not exactly immune to that themselves."

Anna takes a moment to digest this. To Kristoff's credit the last time she saw the trolls they had tried to marry the two of them on the spot, which is pretty feather-brained, she'll give him that.

"Fine. But my hair is still messy. You ruined my braids." Anna can hear how ridiculous she's sounding, but she worries nonetheless and it feels like a swarm of moths are fluttering around in her chest.

"Can't you just let your hair out? Or redo them if it's that important?" He's wearing that amused expression that so annoyed her the first time she sat in his sleigh (the one she managed to_ literally crash and burn_, oops). Again, what he's saying does hold some merit, so she unbraids her hair and runs through it a bit with her fingers.

She doesn't get any further than parting her hair down the middle before she's held around the waist and lifted onto Kristoff's lap and she can't help the small squeak that comes out because this hasn't happened before, he's always stayed very still while she's been the one doing all the moving, and now his hands are grabbing her hair and dragging her close and her heart pounds in her ears as he kisses her, deeply, fully, startlingly desperate. Anna doesn't know why it's happening but she's not about to complain because it is breathtaking, to have someone hold and keep and _want_ her, and she moans against his mouth. Her doing so seems to trigger something because he grips her harder, opens his mouth against hers just ever so slightly and _is that a tongue she's feeling oh good __**god**__ why haven't they tried this earlier_? She opens her mouth to let him in and the minutes melt away, gone in a flurry of hot breath and touching hands.

"What was that?" Anna eventually gasps. She can't stop smiling and she feels like she's going to explode, but that's okay because Kristoff's grinning too.

"What?"

"You know what. I mean I'm not going to complain, definitely not, but maybe if you tell me what I did I can… do it again? Maybe?"

"Oh. Oh you meant, uh," He fumbles for words for a bit. "Well, it's just… your hair. It's all… down."

"My hair?" She takes a lock in her hand, considers it. "What does _that_ have to do with my hair?"

"It's beautiful."

The words are out before he can take them back, before he even realizes what he's thinking, and this would be the perfect moment for Kristoff to hide his face in his mittens but he's currently holding Anna, so he resorts to looking in any direction that isn't her. "Not that it wasn't before, braids are uh, braids are good, it's just you've never had it down-"

She cuts him off by pressing her lips to his, her hands on either side of his face. They stay close together, keep warm above the tree line, and the rest of the world is forgotten for a little while longer.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN**: _Damn_, this thing just fought and fought. It didn't want to be written. But now it's over with, and I can write things that are a bit easier that will hopefully get posted without a month-long pause.

* * *

"_**Kristoff's home!**_"

Anna's heart jumps into her throat and she doesn't know if she should laugh because she missed them or because this is eerily familiar (_he's brought a girl!_). Kristoff is quickly swamped by young trolls asking where he's been and _look how I've grown_ and _Kristoff pick me up, pick me up_; Anna hides behind the sled and watches as the scene devolves into chaos.

"Let me take your clothes, they probably need washing-"

"Okay, okay! But before that I've got someth- someone to show you."

Anna recognizes her cue and pokes her head out, gives an awkward wave. "Hi…"

Blink. Blink.

"Anna's here!"

"Wow, you're short."

"Why is your hair so red?"

"Pick me up!"

"Wait, what? Oh my goodness-" One of the young ones leaps into her arms and she catches on instinct but isn't prepared for the weight, falls backwards right into a lovely puddle of mud.

A whole second of shocked silence is managed.

"Pebble!" An angry mother quickly catches the culprit while Kristoff rushes over and has Anna on her feet before she knows what happened, his hands gripping her waist and squeezing just enough to make her want to squirm.

"We're so sorry."

"Don't worry, I know they play a bit rough but they mean well-"

"I'm fine," she states, with a voice more suitable for giving commands than assuring anyone (_tonight was my fault_). "There's no harm done. It's just a dress, really, I've got loads. You should see what I've managed at home without even trying…" She's addressing the trolls but her gaze is locked on Kristoff, who looks mildly horrified that the first thing to occur when she meets his family (in a situation that isn't marred by dying) is that they ruin her dress.

"Nonsense, sweetheart," one of the trolls objects. "I'll just wash that dress with Kristoff's clothes and that'll be that."

"Oh that's okay, you don't have to-"

"Just roll with it," Kristoff mumbles. "It's a lot simpler to just nod and smile."

Anna doesn't get a chance to object to either statement properly; she's dragged off to who knows where and leaves an exasperated Kristoff in the clearing, hiding his face in his hands.

~.~.~.~.~

"I'm telling you dear, it's no trouble. You just stay there and relax and I'll be right back."

"Oh, okay. Yeah, sure."

This is the strangest thing that has ever happened. Not that Anna's not used to strange, it's just that this is a bit over the top, even when compared to being royalty and having ice-powers and building living snowmen. She's pretty sure most families don't try to bathe newcomers in hot springs within minutes of visiting, but then this family isn't like _most_. The troll who dragged her over here (what was her name? Hulda?) comes back, several little rock-children in her wake.

"I'll try and put something together for you," she announces, a bunch of green fabric tucked under one arm. "Once you're out of your bath we'll try it on you and see."

"Oh! Uh… thank you. I mean, you really don't have to do that, I'm sure there's something in the sled I can use-"

Her words are muted by water being poured over her head; the children, who seem to be very used to this (either that, or the grown troll communicates her instructions telepathically), immediately get to work on putting some sort of aromatic essence in her hair and pouring something else into the water and all-around pampering a dumbstruck Anna who's still trying to get water out of her mouth.

"Please dear," the adult troll says, "At least let me dote for a couple of minutes. I haven't gotten to do this in ages."

"What do you mean?"

"It's been years since I got to do this with Krissy. He likes to get things done himself, even if he can't do it properly, silly little thing."

The leap of logic is a bit too large for Anna, at least when her mind is fractured by tiny girl-trolls giggling and playing with her hair. "What?" Bulda (_that_ was her name, right…) sits down by the water, thread and needle moving across the fabric in her lap while she answers.

"When he was small…" she pauses to bite off a thread, "I could only get him to take a bath if it was done at the same time as his clothes were being washed. Little boys seem to _loathe_ bathing, for some reason. Anyway, he agreed that it wasn't very comfortable to sit and freeze without clothes, so he eventually started taking baths himself without me needing to ask." She holds up a piece of the garment, evaluates it for a moment, continues at the next part. "But children grow up. And they eventually feel that they don't need help with something as easy as taking a bath." Bulda fixes Anna with a mischievous look. "I enjoy taking care of things, so spoiling you just this once really isn't any trouble. Now, let's see what you've managed, kids."

She lets the half-finished troll-clothing go, and takes Anna's hair in her hands, oily and fragrant with whatever the small ones have been putting in it. She adds one thing, rinses with water, adds something else, rinses again, and the princess almost nods off; it's relaxing, sitting in a warm bath with someone taking care of you. She should do this more often, she thinks. Take hot baths in her bathroom and invite Elsa. Or Kristoff, though that might bring its own set of issues…

"That looks about right. Now you dry yourself and we'll have you try on this thing, see if it works."

She's handed a towel (or well, the closest thing they have to one), and after a little while a bundle of green cloth is unceremoniously thrown over her head, with absolutely nothing underneath. She's about to protest; Anna knows from experience that clothes without undergarments are extremely uncomfortable, no matter what novels of a certain nature may claim, but the fabric is as soft as silk, smooth and comfortable against her skin. After a bit of fumbling she gets her arms into the sleeves and manages to pull the dress down.

"Do I look okay?"

"Well," Bulda deliberates, "I would like to get it a bit more snug, but I guess it'll do for now." She smiles and hands Anna another towel-like thing. "Now dry your hair properly and come back to the valley when you're done. I need to check on Kristoff; he always misses scrubbing behind the ears." And with that she's gone, children trailing in her wake, leaving Anna alone, gobsmacked at what's happened. She's not used to being treated like this. Not that people aren't friendly, it's just that they tend to be very aware that she's royalty. The trolls just don't seem to give a damn, and she realizes where Kristoff must have picked up the behaviour.

She kind of likes it.

~.~.~.~.~

_Trolls are loud_, Anna decides as she quietly makes her way from the spring to the main valley. It's not far at all and even if she didn't know the way the sheer volume of talking and music and laughing would clue her in to their location. Her quickly-stitched dress is balmy against her skin and so comfortable she's considering asking for a blanket to take home. There are patterns woven in the fabric – reminiscent of the robes she was once almost married in – and it may be simple but she loves it already. It is a bit short, reaching only to her knees, but she figures no one'll mind except her and that's all right then.

As she reaches the edge of the clearing her eyes are scanning the area, trying to find the only other human there, but the trolls are dancing and play-fighting and building some sort of pyramid by standing on each other and moving so much that it's difficult to see past them. Then a couple of antlers appear above the crowd for a moment and she has her target. She maneuvers as smoothly as she can, keeping to the edge as much as possible, waving and smiling at the ones who notice her.

Finally she sees him, propped up against Sven (who's already sleeping and snoring, how is that even possible with all this racket?), hair still damp, wearing only trousers and tuning his lute. Anna stops and takes a moment to breathe in the sight of him, content and calm and so at ease when she compares to the awkward movements of before, and the thought hits her that she wishes she could stay here, in this place where magic is average and love such a natural thing. She knows that he doesn't really like people; he's polite enough (well… enough to not get punched in the face, at least) but she's begun to recognize the shift in posture that hints at his unease when others talk to him, and she's suddenly fighting back the urge to cry because _people will beat you and curse you and cheat you_ and who would do such a thing to this man?

Kristoff looks up and notices her, and she wonders what her face is telling him because he's wearing that appraising look, the difference from before being that now he's concerned, because oh god he cares about her and oh god she loves him.

Wait. _What__._

Anna skips over, doesn't give herself time to think. She settles next to him, careful not to wake Sven. "How's it going?"

"…Good. I think I've managed to fix this thing as much as I can while they're awake." He nods in his family's direction and gives her a relaxed grin that makes her stomach flip and heat shoot through her limbs. When he puts the lute aside Anna gathers her courage, and in one (actually graceful) movement positions herself in his lap, legs to one side and her upper body leaning against him. He stills beneath her and breathes in, and she holds her breath too, hopes that she can stay, _please let me stay_.

"What are you doing," he asks, and his voice is hushed, barely audible over the background noise, his face almost childish with trust and suspicion rolled into one wide-eyed stare.

She bites her lip, just barely stops herself from touching his chest and exploring his skin with her fingers (it's so tempting; she's sure he'll be smooth and warm underneath her palms, but she doesn't really dare). "Is it bad?"

"No, but," He hesitates, arms closing in around her, slow, careful. "I don't know if it's a good idea, with, you know…" His eyes keep darting from her to the trolls and then back to her.

"I'm not going to do anything," she laughs, "I just wanted a hug. Is that okay?"

"Of course it's okay. I'm just, well… they tried to marry us the last time you were here, _can you imagine_-" Anna's imagination quickly jumps into overdrive and she starts giggling uncontrollably.

"Oh my god, I'd never get to leave."

Kristoff chuckles, low and secret, and she absorbs the sound like a sponge. "We'd be stuck here forever and it would be more horrifying every second."

"They'd put me in that robe-cloak-thingy again."

"Well, to be fair…" He nods at her current clothing, smiling openly at her.

"Shush! Don't say it out loud or they might relapse." She has to press her hands to her mouth to stop the laughter from bursting out and he's biting his lip to keep quiet; one of the ironic laws of the universe is that anyone attempting not to laugh shall fail in said attempt so once they've started they can't stop until Anna's muffled giggling is interrupted by a shiver and Kristoff mildly freaks out. He doesn't _jump_ up to get her a blanket, but he does move a smidge faster than he really needs to and she's somewhere between flattered and annoyed that he insists on fretting.

Kristoff settles down and lifts her back onto his lap, leans against Sven and throws the blanket over them both. "Is that warm enough?"

"Between you, Sven and this thing?" Anna tugs at the blanket, thick and already warmed by their body heat. "I think I could survive a blizzard."

"Good." He relaxes, enfolds her completely and she snuggles into the crook of his neck, and it's a little bit embarrassing but so worth it. They stay like that for a while, almost drift off to sleep despite the noise around them, and she's so happy that she's here, because she loves her home but this place is accepting and_ alive _in a way she's never seen.

"Hey," she mumbles, nudging him, "can I just say something?" She sits up so she's almost as tall as him and he blinks tiredly.

"Sure. What?"

"…thank you. For bringing me here."

There's a moment of silence, and she feels like she's going to burst into flames because he just stares, but then there's a smile and his hand wanders up along her spine, settles at the back of her neck to gently draw her close. Anna can feel her heartbeat in her ears, in her throat, and closes her eyes on instinct because this is too much even without seeing him so near. He presses their foreheads together and they breathe, just breathe, wrapped close together and forgetting that there is an entire valley of trolls who can see. Kristoff places his hands on either side of her head, just holding her, and Anna knows that she should want to kiss him but this is just a bit too perfect to interrupt; she smiles, a steady hum of contentment at the back of her throat.

Probably for the best that they don't notice the stares, or how the activities around them continue but quiet down somewhat, or how everyone silently grins while pretending not to see anything. Probably for the best that they fall asleep soon after, tucked against each other, warm and soft and safe.


End file.
